century. The earliest known in England are those of Geoffrey Magnaville, Earl of Essex, buried in the Temple Church, in the year A. D. 1164.

Thirteenth Century.-Coffin-stones, with heads or bodies emerging from them, and placed in walls, with arches turned over them. The first brass statue, that of Henry III. Lombardic capitals became general on tombstones. The first table-monument is that of King John, in Worcester Cathedral, who died A. D. 1216; and the fashion lasted until the reign of James I. French epitaphs occur. The oldest instance of a skeleton-monument is A. D. 1241. Cross-legged figures are between A. D. 1224, and A. D. 1313. They imply crusaders, or that the parties had vowed to take the journey. The armour is complete mail, with only knee-pieces of plate.

Fourteenth Century.-Lombardic capitals on tombstones not used after a. D. 1361. The text, or old English hand, succeeded, and continued till the reign of Elizabeth. The inscriptions were engraven on brass, and the words abbreviated. The armour is a mixture of mail and plate, but mostly mail. Coats of arms were not quartered by subjects until this century: John Hastings, Earl of Pembroke, was the first. Supporters to arms first occur, being used by Richard II. Coronets first appear: the instance is in John of Eltham, who died a. D. 1334.

Fifteenth Century.-Burials in chapels introduced. In armour, from A. D. 1400, all plate but the gorget: in A. D. 1416 all plate occurs. Henry V. was the first who bore three fleur-de-lis, instead of semee.

Sixteenth Century.-Inlaid with brass, altar-monuments at the beginning of this century. Monu

ments against the wall, chiefly since the reformation. Roman round-hand took place about the end of the reign of Henry VIII. “Orate pro anima” was dis

continued on monuments at the reformation: Catholics (Roman) have only used it since. The first deviation from the Gothic forms of tombs is the monument of Lord Danley's mother, who died a. D. 1578. Skeletons in shrouds succeeded, and were imitated by corpses in shrouds, tied head and foot. Figures supported their heads on their right hands, an attitude taken from the Greek and Roman monuments. A kneeling attitude for children takes date not till after the Reformation; nor for parents, except to the cross; nor the infant in swaddling clothes, nor cradle.

Seventeenth Century.-The latest date of animals at the feet is A. D. 1645. Cumbent figures occur till A. D. 1676.

"THE word hearse," says du Cange, was anciently used for the Candlestick, or "Candelabrium," when Popish superstition used to burn a number of wax lights, night and day, at the tombs of their wealthiest nobles, or the shrines of their most renowned Saints, and whether moveable or immoveable, they were variously constructed, and often of the most costly description. Now it is only known as the name of a carriage in which the dead are conveyed to the place from whence they shall return no more. It was first used in the reign of William and Mary. In the time of Charles II. at the burial of a peer, the body was borne on men's shoulders.

M

AGE AND SIZE OF YEW TREES.

Yews are believed to be the most ancient trees of Great Britain; and no doubt can exist that there are individuals of the species in England, as old as the introduction of Christianity, and there is every reason to believe a very great deal older. It is the opinion of Decandolle, the greatest botanist in Europe, that of all European trees, the yew is that which attains the greatest age. "I have measured one of seventy years growth; Elhafen has measured one of one hundred and fifty years; and Veillard has measured one of two hundred and eighty years. These three measurements agree in proving that the yew grows a little more than one line annually in the first one hundred and fifty years, and less than a line from one hundred and fifty to two hundred and fifty. By the lines of a tree, the reader must understand the circular lines, which begin at the centre, and extend to the circumference, and which may be counted very readily in many trees after they have been felled, and sawn through. If for very aged yews we take the average of one line annually, it is probably an admission beyond the truth; and thus in estimating the number of lines and years as equal, we make them younger than they really are." We think this reasoning very plausible, and point out to such of our readers as may have opportunities of seeing old yew trees, how easily they may ascertain

their age."

The line here spoken of is one-tenth of an inch added to the circumference of the tree. The circumference may be taken just above the base of the tree; the third of this measurement gives the diameter, and every inch of diameter is equal to ten years. There are four measurements of venerable yews in England-those of the ancient Abbey of Fountains, near Ripon, in Yorkshire, which yews were well known as early as A. D. 1155. Pennant says that A.D. 1770 they were 1214 lines in diameter, and, consequently, were more than 12 centuries old. Those in the churchyard of Crowhurst, in Surrey, on Evelyn's authority, were 1287 lines in diameter. There are two remarkable yews still in the same cemetery, and if they be the same which Evelyn refers to, they must be fourteen centuries and a half old. The yew tree at Fortingal, in Perthshire, mentioned by Pennant, A. D. 1770, had a diameter of 2588 lines, and consequently, we must reckon it at from twentyfive to twenty-six centuries old. The yew of Brabourn churchyard, in Kent, has attained the age of 3000 years; but that at Hedsor, in Buckinghamshire, surpasses all others in magnitude and antiquity. It is in full health, and measures above twenty-seven feet in diameter; consequently, according to Decandolle's method of computation, this yew has reached the enormous age of 3240 years! In all likelihood this is the most ancient specimen of European vegetation.

*We are aware that at the British Association, which met in A.D. 1836, a paper was read contradictory of Decandolle's computation regarding yew trees, and stating that he made the old trees too young, and the young trees too old. The experimenter asserted that the mean average of the number of lines which a tree increased in a year, was two, or one-fifth of an inch. But Decandolle is the highest authority, and we are inclined to abide by his opinion till further experi. ments have been made.